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What’s In Your Wallet (And How Can You Clean it Out)?

In ZZ Top’s “Sharp-Dressed Man,” the band sings about a fat wallet as something irresistible to the ladies.

Perhaps in 1983, when the song was released, this was true.

Today however, with credit cards and digital everything, a bulging wallet is less a sign of wealth and more a sign of disorganization and clutter in the man’s life.

Therefore, it’s time to cut down your wallet to only the barest essentials — a couple credit or debit cards, one or two major IDs, your blood donor card in case something horrible happens and you need a blood transfusion stat, and a bit of cash to cover you, should you hit a tollbooth or an old-timey general store that still doesn’t take plastic.

Anything else can be kept at home unless it’s absolutely necessary to take on the road. You probably don’t need your CVS Rewards card unless you’re actually going to CVS, for example.

Luckily, modern technology (including Mint.com itself) can help you quickly clean out that wallet.

That way, you don’t have a hundred random things creating a giant bulge in your pants–plus you won’t risk losing the extra stuff among a sea of household clutter.

Receipts

Keeping track of finances is always a smart decision, but it can quickly get overwhelming.

A weekday shopping trip, or a weekend shopping trip, can easily result in up to a dozen receipts or more, all taking up space in your wallet and making it look to the world like you’ve lost control of your finances, and possibly your life.